A jury consisting of five men and seven women has been sworn in for the trial of a couple facing manslaughter charges over the death of their baby daughter, whose remains were discovered in Brighton. The trial proceedings commenced at the Central Criminal Court, famously known as the Old Bailey, in London on Thursday, January 25, 2024.
Originally, the jury members were selected a week ago and were slated to be sworn in at the Old Bailey on the preceding day. However, Judge Mark Lucraft, the Recorder of London, informed them that technical issues had unavoidably delayed the case.
The defendants, Constance Marten, aged 36, and Mark Gordon, aged 49, are being tried in connection with the death of baby Victoria, whose lifeless body was found at an allotment in Brighton in March of the previous year. The charges include manslaughter by gross negligence, spanning from January 4 to February 27.
Additionally, both Marten and Gordon face allegations of perverting the course of justice, concealing the birth of a child, child cruelty, and causing or allowing the death of a child. They currently do not have a fixed address and have denied all charges.
Judge Lucraft informed the jurors that the trial is expected to extend until March 8, 2024, as it proceeds through the legal process.
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